A Bittersweet Reunion
by tardis bels
Summary: AU in which the Doctor shows up in Pete's world instead of Rose showing up in season 4.


I hated these parties. Don't get me wrong, the chance to be at one of the most prestigious events in the area was a privilege, but i hated these parties. Wearing a tux, these stuffy rich people silently competing who had the biggest, and the best. Reminded me of high school sometimes. Id much rather be at the tiny pub down the street drinking a pint.

Pete Tylers house was phenomenal, and his story even more, although I'd never seen a more secretive family in my entire life. His daughter, which had just appeared seemingly out of nowhere a year and a half ago, stood near a fountain, wearing a long silky black dress that outlined her curves perfectly, while still giving her a level of class most heiresses lacked. She was the subject of the tabloids bitterness, but everyone had ever met her swore she really just did not do wrong. I met her once, at a meeting meant to familiarize the rest of Torchwood with his daughter who had just returned from boarding school.

"Hello. I'm Rose" she said, smiling, but the smile did not reach her eyes. "Pete Tylers... daughter" she said the last word as if was a bit new to her.

"Nate Hill." I responded "So you know a lot about aliens, huh?"

"I know a fair bit" she said, laughing. "I guess you could say I've travelled."

That was over year ago. I took one last swig of the scotch I held lazily in my hand and worked up the courage to talk to her.

"Hello" I said.

Rose shook her head like she had just been deep in thought, but when she met my face she smiled, the smile once again never reaching her deep brown eyes.

"Hello, Nate, right?"

"Yeah, I'm surprised you remembered" I responded, a little awkwardly.

She laughed "Yeah I have a good memory" she sighed "I hate these parties, but my father keeps insisting on throwing them" she mindlessly played with the straw in her drink before abandoning it to a nearby waiter.

"Yeah, I do too, I keep getting invited" I said "I suppose is a privilege but, man they just are so bloody boring." I rambled, a little nervously.

Her giggle broke the tension. Sophisticated yet childish, she was the epitome of what a heiress should be like. Her blond hair dressed up in a fancy bun, curly strands coming off the sides. Her chocolate brown eyes looked like they'd seen so much, but I don't understand how a girl her age could have such sad eyes. I looked down to notice something around her neck, a key.

"What's that? I asked, gently touching the key around her neck.

"Oh" she said, as if she forgot it was there. She smiled a tiny little smile. "It's a key"

I laughed a little "Well, yes, but to what?"

She pursed her lips, as if not sure how to respond. Her eyes dropped to the floor.

"You can't run in those things." she said quietly, in almost a whisper.

"What?" I asked, not sure if I heard her correctly.

"Your shoes," she looked back up "you can't run in those shoes" she said, smiling a bit now.

"Why would I need to run?" I asked.

She met my eyes once more and the smile reached her lips again, that brilliantly beautiful smile. "You should always be ready to run." she giggled, as if remembering a private joke. She breathed in deeply, letting out a sigh and another laugh. "What do you say we walk down the street and grab a pint? I'm sure nobody will notice if were gone for a while"

I let out a sigh of relief "Sure, I'd love to"

We went to the terrace, and I jumped over the balcony railing to the foot drop below, landing easily. I turned around to help her to see her landing softly on the ground behind me. She smiled at me again.

We got to the edge of the estate when I pulled a fag out of my jacket pocket. I offered her one.

"No, it's okay, I don't smoke" she said.

"Oh, do you want me to-" I asked, putting my fags away.

"Oh, no no, go ahead" she reassured. "I don't mind at all."

I pulled the fags back out of my pocket and lit one up. We walked a little bit longer in silence.

"So you're not like any 23 year old heiress I've ever met" I finally said.

She laughed a bit "Oh, and how many have you met?"

"Fair point" I responded, "But really, I don't think any sort of girl who came into the kind of money you did, you'd be out partying, or something, but you- you put all yourself into your work, your family. You don't do anything wrong. I mean, everyone is going bloody mad over this."

"Over what?"

"You! Where you came from, what you're doing here." I stopped and grabbed her hand. "I've searched the files Rose. There's no record of your existence before 2 years ago."

She looked down at her feet again, biting her lower lip a bit, stifling a smile.

"Rose" I said, "You're impossible."

She smiled and continued to walk, "I once knew a...man" she said, as if she wasn't sure man was the right word "He was impossible too." She began mindlessly playing with the key wrapped around her neck again.

"Who was he?" I asked. I didn't understand the possibility of the girl who was standing in front of me, she couldn't be impossible.

"Oh," she said, laughing a bit, "The stuff of legend."

"This man" I said "Were you two...involved?"

Her look turned quizzical, as if she didn't know how to answer. "I-" she started, but we were interrupted by a crash that knocked us to the ground.

She pushed herself up on her elbows and looked at me, her face suddenly serious "are you okay?" she asked, her face turning to one of concern.

I assessed the damage. Nothing broken, maybe a few cuts and bruises from the fall but nothing else. "Slight loss of dignity." I shook my head clear "You?"

She smiled a little bit again, as if this had brought her the kind of excitement she was hoping for, and hopped up to her feet "I'm fine, trust me, been through a lot worse"

She looked towards the estate. It had not hit the building itself, but instead something had crashed onto the lawn outside. People were rushing out to see. Rose's eyes widened at the wreckage, like she recognized the object that had just fallen out of the sky.

Then she started running, and I followed. It had not occurred to me before to look at her feet, but now, with the swiftness she was rushing to the wreckage, I noticed her feet, she was wearing trainers. What an odd choice of foot attire considering her dress. She ran with ease though, obviously used to this kind of strenuous exercise.

As I got closer I made out the ship a little bit more. It was silver, and looked like it had come straight out of Star Trek. She started rushing into the burning debris. "Rose!" I called "What in the bloody hell are you doing? There could be anyone in there. Rose! It could be dangerous!"

She ignored my warning "Jack!" she called. "Jack, are you here?" she kept calling, pleading. Her voice suddenly became more serious. "Captain Jack Harkness, you answer me right now."

"Oh Rose, always so demanding" came a new voice, a man's voice. He sounded American. Could this be the man she was talking about? The impossible man?

"Jack?" she called again, her voice a little more full of hope this time. She kept pleading for him, and I followed her voice. I caught up to her, looking around, she looked back at me, but didn't seem angry I had followed. She looked around cautiously and rushed over to a man, who seemed to be strapped in a seat.

"Rose Tyler." he said and smiled. And she smiled back. "Could you help me? I'm kinda stuck here." he asked hopefully. She giggled a bit, but started to move the wires and various things in the way.

"What are you doing here, Jack?" She asked.

"I was flying to meet Gwen and something happened with the rift, so I followed it" He responded, flinching in pain at the bar Rose was moving. "Who's the kid?" he asked, nodding towards me.

"No Jack" Rose scolded "Let's get you out of here" she said, helping him out of his seat. She rushed out of the wreckage, me at her tow, and the strange man in mine.

Finally free of the flaming ship, we caught our breath.

The strange man and Rose smiled at each other, and enveloped in a deep hug. Now that I finally got a better look at the man, he really looked as if he didn't belong here, or anywhere, logically. He was wearing an old army jacket, straight out of World War II, but the guns he carried were similar to the ones in the vault of Torchwood. Around his wrist was what looked like a big leather wristwatch, one that looked similar to something else I've seen in the depths of Torchwood.

When they finally broke away, her face turned somber. "There's no sign, is there?" Rose asked, although she seemed to already know the answer.

"No" jack said, looking mournful. "I'm sorry Rose."

She took a deep breath and then recomposed herself. "Better questions- what are you doing here and-" she gestured at the burning pile "Where the hell did you get this?" she asked accusingly.

The man looked around sheepishly, as if he had been caught taking a cookie out of a cookie jar. "Well," he said "I was at this bar in Rio and there was this army ship captain and we started talking about the orgins of Delnor and he-"

"Excuse me" Pete Tyler interrupted, coming up behind Rose and me. "but who the hell are you?"

"Captain Jack Harkness" the man said, and offered his hand to Pete.

Pete's face sobered and he looked at Rose.

"I don't know" she said, as if answering a telepathic question.

He took the captains hand and shook it. "Pete Tyler" he said "I've heard a lot about you"

"And this" Rose said, gesturing in my direction "is Nate Hill."

"Captain Jack Harkness" he smiled and extended his hand "it's very nice to meet you." he said, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Jack" Rose scolded him again "really not the time."

He directed his attention back to Rose and Pete, his face turning serious again. "The Rift, its opening up, we need to move now" he stopped abruptly, staring past Rose and me. I looked at Pete, whose stunned face matched that of Jack's.

I turned my heads to see what they what had them so dumbfounded. There stood a box, a box that wasn't there a moment ago. It was blue, with the words "Police Box" written across the top. Rose stood there a moment, wide eyed and open mouthed.

"Doctor" she whispered.

The door to the mysterious blue box opened, and out came a man. He was dressed in a brown pin striped suit, with tousled hair and a tall slender body. He looked around a bit, unimpressed, trying to test the waters. Then his eyes met the little blond woman, and his eyes lit up

They stood there, staring at each other, stunned, and before I knew it they were rushing towards each other, like nothing else mattered in the world. They crashed into each other and wrapped their arms around one another. He lifted her off her feet and invaded her mouth with his, like this would be his last chance, and she responded with equal enthusiasm.

Pete and Jack rushed towards the newly arrived man, and I followed, not knowing what else to do.

We arrived at the couple, breaking away from their passionate lip lock, but still eyes dead set on one another, Rose breathed in deeply and smiled, the smile finally reaching her eyes. She sighed, still in the doctors arms, and rested a head on his shoulder, holding him close. The man responded with equal enthusiasm, maneuvering his way around her to greet Jack and Pete while still keeping her as close to her body as possible.

"Doctor" Jack said, standing at what I assumed was attention, saluting him.

"Jack, please" the tall man said, squinting his eyes and waving him off "stop that" and opened up to greet Jack with a hug that was shared between the three of them. "It's good to see you" the strange man said to Jack.

"It's good to see you too Doctor" Jack said, and entered the strange blue box.

Pete greeted the man a bit more somberly, as if his presence meant a great loss. "Doctor" he said, giving him a curt nod.

"Pete" the man greeted him, a smile teasing the corners of his lips.

He shifted Rose to his side, keeping his hand firmly around her waist, and held a hand out to me "Hello" he said, and smiled a brilliant smile, a smile whose happiness matched that of the tiny girl he held in his arms. "I'm the Doctor" he stretched his hand out to me.

I took his hand heartily "Nate Hill" I said.

Jack came back to join us, a more serious look on his face now. "Like I was saying" he cocked the big gun and stared at the four of us. "There's something coming through the rift."

His warning barely passed lips when something crashed into the burning wreckage that was Captain Jacks ship. Rose and the Doctor broke their affectionate hold on each other to face whatever was coming.

Rose just stood there, the smile dropped from her lips but still shined in her eyes.

"I hope you brought your running shoes" she said, surveying the wreckage. I had no idea who she was talking to.

I looked down. The Doctor and Rose were still locked, hand in hand, focusing on whatever was emerging from the shadows.

"You will be assimilated" the creature said, in a robotic voice.

Jack and I looked from Rose to the Doctor and back at each other. To my surprise Rose and Jack were-smiling.

"Just like old times, huh?" Jack said, pulling one of the weapons from his pockets, glancing from the Doctor to Rose.

Suddenly the creatures started getting closer, there looked like a whole army of them coming towards us.

"RUN!" the Doctor screamed, and headed off towards the blue box. I was suddenly jealous of Rose's trainers.


End file.
